SOS Save Our Species
by PossDownUnder
Summary: Baxter Stockman plans to eradicate the growing turtle problem in New York City. The Ninja Turtles and their friends set out to save their normal sized turtles and to uncover what Stockman is really up to. In the tradition of the original cartoon. Read and
1. Default Chapter

**S.O.S. – Saver Our Species**

Disclaimer: My hat goes off to the creators of the Ninja Turtles – life just wouldn't be the same without Leo, Don, Mike and Raph to keep me insane. Also Splinter's another cool character and sometimes doesn't get all the credit he deserves. Also would like to mention – this story is based on the 80's/90's cartoon series – so that's why April is a TV news reporter and there will be characters from that series such as the original Baxter Stockmen (before he was a fly – he became a fly in the 80's cartoon – for those too young to remember), Irma, Vernon and other characters that will indeed come up.

Basically in the tradition of the 80's cartoon.

Also, just so you know where this story originates from, here in Australia we have a lot of introduced species that have stuffed up our local ecosystems – such as the rabbit is a real problem in this country. So I kind of hope to address the issue of respecting our natural environments and not having humans try and run it their way when things don't go the way they want to. I think there's also some native species of turtles that are threatened by introduced turtles. I do know in my state (QLD) that to keep turtles as a pet you need a licence or something. I know it's tough – I want a pet turtle, but if it protects the local species then I can see why they have such a law. Read and enjoy. _Italics are the TV._

**S.O.S**

**Part 1**

"_Tonight on channel six news, protesters as local authorities plan to reduce the local turtle problem here in New York, more coming up…."_

"What turtle problem?" Mikey looked to his Sensei.

"None of you have been seen lately have you? You have kept a low profile?" Splinter asked his four teenage sons.

"Not to my knowledge, Master Splinter", Leo said, as his brothers nodded.

"What does _reduce_ mean?" Mikey turned to Donnie.

"Make less off. Basically in your terms, get rid of," Donnie explained, just as the report came back on.

"_There have been reports of turtles over breeding here in New York,"_

"Well that can't be us," Raph said dryly.

"Shh!" Leo, Don and Splinter hushed.

"_After talks with the local scientist Baxter Stockman, who previously was involved in reducing the local rodent problem, has now come aboard with this new project. He tells me he has moved his plans to studying the local turtles and their behaviour patterns."_

Mikey laughed, "Yeah, more like he's been getting his butt kicked by us."

"He failed with the rat problem, there's no way he can cure the turtle problem," Raph said to Mikey.

"Yeah, we turtles are far too clever," Mikey said.

"You clever, since when was Michealangelo and clever used in the same situation?" Raphael playfully teased his brother.

"Shhh!" Leonardo said.

Baxter Stockman came onto the TV and Mikey and Raph throw some of their chips at the screen, earning a stern warning from their Sensei.

"_The problem lies within the pet shops. People buy a turtle or two thinking it would make a nice pet. Yes, turtles are simple creatures that don't require much attention."_

Splinter simply chuckled to himself, "For a scientist he seems rather ill-informed or perhaps it's just the teenage mutant variety that requires a lot of attention."

"_You see turtles are in fact rather dull and boring creatures," _Baxter went on to say.

"Hey!" Mikey cried.

"Speak for your self ugly!" Raph cried at the screen.

"Well he obviously never met us, then. Oh sorry, he did meet us when we kicked his butt! Scientists are such dull and boring old farts! Oh except you Donnie, you're not old," Mikey said.

"So you saying he's still a dull fart?" Raph pointed out to Mikey.

"Swell, thanks I love you too bro," Donnie replied to that remark.

"I never said Donnie was a fart. He's not. Don't twist my words around Raphael."

"Shhhh!" Leo said to his brothers.

"_So people get bored with their turtle and think that the best thing to do is flush it down into the sewers. The sewers are currently overloaded with these reptilian creatures, which then form gangs which move into Central Park before breeding some more, which adds to the problem."_

"Yeah the sewer's overloaded hey guys? I mean I seem to bump into a fellow turtle all the time around the lair, heck I even see one when I look in the mirror each morning!" Raph pretended to be gob-smacked.

"Yeah, like this morning I saw this turtle sitting at the breakfast table eating rice bubbles, and then another one eating cornflakes," Mikey said.

"That would have been me and Donnie you saw," Raph replied.

"Then later I saw this other turtle meditating, he was big and had a blue bandana on. I see him around quiet a bit that dude practically lives here," Mikey joked along with Raph. They found entertaining themselves this way rather rewarding.

"Will you guys shut up?" Leo cried, "Sensei and I are trying to watch the news."

"Did he look suspiciously a lot like him?" Raph pointed to Leo.

"Yeah, there he is again! Hey Don can you explain why that turtle there keeps turning up in our lair?"

"He lives here Mikey. Now, let's hear the rest of the news," Donnie turned back to the TV.

Raph nudged Mikey, they both laughed at their joke on Leo.

"_No the way to deal with this over population of turtles is to get rid of them. My team of experts are willing to put our lives on the line to save the people of New York by setting traps up in the sewers. Then we will move onto the problems in Central Park and eradicate the population there down to a manageable size."_

"Eradicate don't sound too good, what's he mean? I get the turtle trap thingy…" Mikey said.

"What Don said, it means kill." Raph told his brother.

"My sons, if you will not be silent, you will have to leave the room," Splinter told his youngest two.

"Sorry," both turtles said.

Later that night, Leo was traipsing through the sewers, helping his friend April O'Neil back to the lair.

"So is what that report said true?" Leo asked her.

"Well, Baxter does have someone sponsoring him to erase the local turtle problems, even though I am not sure of whom, though I am wouldn't be too surprised if the Shredder was involved."

"I was surprised when Baxter mentioned the over population of turtles in the sewers, I mean I've only seen the four in my family down here. How can that be over population?"

"True, that's why the Shredder must be part of this one. I mean no one else knows there are four giant turtles running around the sewers somewhere."

"Hey April's here!" Mikey practically jumped up when he saw her enter.

"Hey guys!"

"Seen the numerous turtle plague on your way in?" Raph joked.

April chuckled, "No only you four and I don't know how you guys could start a plague."

"That's right, we're all boys," Donnie said.

"Yeah I'm yet to meet my female equivalent. I don't think I'll ever find my true love," Mikey sighed.

"Let's hope there isn't another Mikey out there!" Leo said, playfully teasing his baby brother.

"Hey! See I told you didn't I April, I don't get enough respect around here."

"Too earn respect; one must give it," Splinter said, as he entered the room, "Good evening Miss O'Neil."

"Hello Master Splinter, how are you tonight?"

Splinter and April had a little chat about her day, before Splinter brought up the topic that they had called her down here to discuss.

"Yes, the station is running round in circles about it. It seems to be the biggest news story. I would have been given that interview with Stockman, though because of my previous run-ins with him, my boss got Vernon to run that report. I've been assigned the job of turtle searching the sewers with Irma tomorrow morning, looking for sightings."

"Better practice Ninja Vanish," Mickey pulled a comic up and hide his face. April just laughed at his antics.

"Why don't you and Irma do some filming and then come down here for lunch?" Donne said, looking to Splinter for support.

"Yeah!" Mikey beamed at the idea of visitors.

"That would be a wonderful idea, if only the four of you promise to use your best table manners for our guests," Splinter said. April giggled, she had seen the turtles eating habits, and their best would still be considered rude in some circles.

"Oh Donnie will, he'll be wanting to impress his girlfriend Irma," Mikey teased the purple masked

"She's not my girlfriend!"

"We all know you fancy her. You want to kissy kissy with her," Mikey said, earning a hit on the head by Leo.

"What makes you say that?" Donnie blushed bright red.

"Cause we hear you talking to her on the phone," Raph said.

"Have you been calling Irma?" April asked, surprised.

"No she's always calling Donnie to go visit her," Leo informed April.

"She wants me to fix something; it's usually the hot water system."

"Yeah sure, we all know your kissy kissy."

"Yeah and we all know you never make any sense when you open your mouth," Raphael said to the turtle in orange.

"You're just jealous cos Donnie's got a girlfriend and you haven't," Mikey said.

"Michealangelo, please stop talking to your brother like that," Master Splinter.

"But it's true; Irma does ring up and want to speak to Donnie. She never wants to speak to me," Mikey said.

"Why, I think you're the jealous one. Mikey fancies Irma everyone!" Raph joined in the teasing game.

"Michealangelo, Raphael, go to your rooms now!" Master Splinter instructed.

"Man, this sucks," Raph said as he stomped to his room, as Mikey went to his.

"How about tomorrow, you and Irma come round here and we discuss what we're going to do with Stockman's latest adventure?" Leo suggested.

_More to come next time…_

_Where Irma and Donnie start a project of their own…._

_And will one of the turtle traps in the sewers actually catch a turtle?_

_What else is in store?_


	2. Chapter 2

**S.O.S**

**Save Our Species**

**Part 2**

**Caged**

_Disclaimer – Same as chapter 1 – I only made up this story, not the concept of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or Master Splinter, April or other related characters. You have been told. So please don't get narky at me. Plus do read and review, I'd love to hear your thoughts and comments. _

_PS. I'm an Aussie, so there may be Australian slang or spellings within my stories – those who have read my previous works will know – it comes up. If you don't like it well sorry, it's in here and it's staying._

"Scatting along on my skateboard baby," Michealangelo sang, as he skated down the sewer tunnel. Don and Raph were also skating along the same tunnel, ahead of their brother

"Wish Mikey would stop thinking he's the future winner of Star Struck," Raph said to Donnie, as he skated around his brother.

"I wish he'd find a real hobby, other than watching TV and eating," Don replied, as Raphael chuckled.

"Hey guys, my ninja skills are picking up something in the tunnel to the right," Mikey warned his brothers.

"Yeah it's probably just the bogy man heading home after a night of scaring the little children," Raph told his brother.

"No, really there's something down there," Mikey pointed.

"It's called sewerage. The sewers are full of it. Besides me and Raph can't sense anything," Don said to his baby brother.

"I'm telling you there's something fishy going on. Just take a look, can't hurt," Mikey said.

Raph and Don exchanged looks of "Maybe he'll have forgotten in five minutes what he's on about and we can continue playing."

"Guys, guys! Look down there!" Mikey squealed. Raph and Don rolled their eyes, jumped off their skate boards and went over to the tunnel where Mikey was.

"I don't see anything," Don said, looking where Mikey pointed.

Raph pushed past the two of them and walked down the tunnel, Mikey grabbed hold of Don's arm out of concern.

"Mikey, get off me," Donnie said.

Just then Raph let them know he had discovered something.

"What the shell?"

"See, I told you there was something down there," Mikey told Don. Both crept up to Raphael ready for anything, but not ready for what they saw.

"Now Mikey, tell me how on earth you could be scared of the humble pet shop turtle," Raphael pointed down to where in a small cage sat a turtle which was snapping at the wired cage.

"It looks like it's in a bad mood to me," Mikey said, "I've seen you in a bad mood, I know to stay clear."

"Mikey, Raph's a mutated turtle. Besides wouldn't you be cheesed off, trying to get out of the stupid trap?" Donnie bent down and pulled out his trusty pliers and cut open the cage and picked up the small turtle.

"There you go buddy. See Mikey, it's not upset now it's out of the cage," Don held up the turtle to his brother.

"Hey can we keep him?"

"Why would you want a pet turtle?" Raph asked, "I mean really do you see Splinter adopting the sewer rats?"

"Because then I'll have a baby brother, won't I?"

"Mikey if he's anything like you, then we don't need another little brother!" Raph warned his bro.

"Besides, he is a she and you really think Master Splinter will want another turtle?" Donnie said.

"Hey how do you know it's a girl?" Raph questioned his brother.

"I checked," Donnie said.

"Hey that's not very nice looking at her private parts; I'm telling Master Splinter that you're looking at girls bits!" Mikey said.

"Go and tell him and he'll tell you, that a girl turtle's plates are different to a males, here take a look," Donnie held the turtle up so that his brothers could see what he was talking about.

"Hey look, she doesn't like Raph, she's hiding!" Mikey said, as the female turtle hide her head inside her shell.

"Come on, let's at least take her home and give her some fresh food and water, then later we could maybe release her into Central Park," Donnie suggested.

"What have you let him bring home now?" Leo stood as he saw his brother's enter the lair. He also noticed that Mikey held something he's found home.

"We'd have thought you'd recognise your own relatives," Raphael teased.

"We got a baby sister, I've named her Shelly."

"Tell him it's not the most original name for a turtle," Donnie asked Leo.

Leo looked at the small turtle in Mikey's arms.

"How do you know it's a girl?" Leo took a closer look, until Mikey snatched her back.

"Splinter, Leo and Donnie are being rude to our sister!" Mikey cried out into the lair.

"Michealangelo, what have you got there?" Splinter said, as he walked into the room.

Mikey looked at his father, couldn't Splinter tell she was a turtle.

"We found a small turtle inside one of Baxter Stockman's traps," Donnie said.

"Yeah and Mikey wanted to bring her home to lunch," Raph said dryly.

"Hey that was Donnie's idea! Besides, she's been in that horrid cage, haven't you Shelly."

"I just want to make sure she's healthy before we take her to Central park." Don said.

"Why are you taking her back to the park?" Leo asked, "Isn't that where Stockman is also doing his trapping of turtles?"

"But where else do we put her?"

"She can stay in my room," Mikey said.

"We told you Mikey, we don't need another turtle! Besides she's a girl." Raph told his brother.

"Yeah look around, there is four of us," Donnie added in.

"But she's only a little turtle, she won't be much trouble, would she Master Splinter. We weren't much trouble; I mean you kept us four didn't you? What's one more turtle going to do?"

"Actually, he's got a point guys. I mean it's only a normal turtle and we can keep her here until Baxter's traps are gone. It's not fair to put her out and have Baxter catch her again," Leo said.

"Or maybe we could find some more ooze and pour it over her and train her in ninjitsu?" Raph sceptically remarked.

"Maybe we should and she could kick your butt!" Mikey said, "And you would be jealous because she will want to be my girlfriend, not yours."

"Thought you said she'd be our sister? You can't date your own sister," Raphael argued.

"She's not my real sister, like you're not my real brother."

"Oh please," Raphael began.

"My sons. I feel that Leonardo has the right mind in all of this. We can not let this turtle fall into the hands of Stockman. I feel that we should keep her and any other turtles we find in the traps Stockman have placed around, for I fear his plans for these turtles he catches could be deadly. I feel that we must help these creatures, for you four were once simple turtles lost in the sewers."

"That's true; Stockman will want to dissect the turtle he catches. Though the mystery here is why are the traps only small? If he's after us, we'd never fit into his traps, so this is what I do not understand," Donatello said.

"Donatello, I fear that Stockman most probably has another plan for capturing you. I think for now, we should concentrate on getting that little turtle comfortable. Leonardo and Raphael may help me set up the old fish tank for her. Donatello, I suggest you give her a check over for any cuts or bruises. Michealangelo, I will leave you in charge of feeding her. Now she needs a proper diet, so I do not want to see you bringing out pizza and cola for her."

"Yes, Master Splinter," Mikey went off to the kitchen, as each turtle did his job assigned to him.


	3. chapter 3

**S.O.S. – Save Our Species**

**Part 3**

**Turtles everywhere**

_Disclaimer: I didn't come up with the concept of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or other related characters. I just own the original idea of this story. _

"So where did you find her?" Irma asked as she peered into the old fish tank.

"Down one of the tunnels to the right. Stockman wasted no time in putting out his traps," Donatello informed his friend.

"So you're going to use that tracking devise to find other turtles?" Irma looked at the object that simply looked like a metal detector to her.

"Yes, I have programmed this to track only turtles. Would you like a demo?"

Irma nodded. Don set up his devise, placing his muffs on his ears (not that turtles have visible ears) and began to walk around the lair. Irma watched as he headed towards the couch, where sat Raphael, who was half asleep from over-eating at lunch time.

The tracker devise beamed and flashed green when Donnie aimed it at his brother's foot. He smiled back to Irma.

"Okay Irma, are we ready to rock and roll?" April came out of the bathroom ready to do reporting.

"Yeah I'm all set," Irma replied.

"We're coming too, Raph bring that old box will you," Donnie said.

"What?" Raph was dozing off.

"The box the apples came in, bring it with us," Donnie said, as he steped out the door.

Raph reluctantly got off the couch and walked behind his brother and female friends. Donnie was in the lead with his tracking devise.

Meanwhile, along another sewer tunnel Leonardo and Michealangelo crept along heading towards the park. They had been assigned the task of seeing how big the Central Park problem really was. They climbed out of the manhole, dressed in their trench coats, as they strolled into the park.

Their ears picked up the sounds of angry protestors.

"Save the turtles!"

"Turtles are welcome here!"

"Turtles love New York!"

"Sign this petition to stop Stockman and his crazy scientists from destroying our local wildlife," a woman came up to the two turtles.

"Sorry lady we really would love to, but our father doesn't like us to sign anything," Leonardo began.

"Are you a turtle hater, Sir?" The women accused.

"No, it's just…" Leo tried to respond.

"I'll sign it!" Mikey said, taking the clipboard off her.

"Mikey!" Leo hissed.

"What? It's for a cause I strongly believe in, so I'm signing and I'll sign for you too, while I'm at it."

"No you will not, give me that," Leo tried to snatch the clipboard off his brother, but the lady gave him a dirty look.

"Here you go sonny, have a badge, take this and see if you can change your friend's mind on the value of turtles," The lady said.

Mikey pinned both badges onto his coat.

"You are so in trouble if Master Splinter finds out!" Leo warned his brother.

"Leo, these people are protesting to save our species. Now if you haven't looked at the shell on your back lately bro, I suggest you do that. You're a turtle and these people love us," Mikey said.

"Mikey, they don't know that we're turtles and you're not going to tell them! You will land us in so much trouble!"

"And here is our mascot!" A human dressed as a mutant turtle came wondering over.

"You know, they could have just paid us to turn up," Mikey said, as he saw everyone cheering on the fake turtle.

"Oh come on, we have a job to do."

"Clearly Stockman must know where the turtles are down here. I mean every trap has a turtle inside it?" April O'Neil said, as they released yet another turtle.

"But we've never come across them before, and we've lived down here for fifteen years," Donnie replied.

"Yeah explain how all of a sudden this place is swarming with pet shop turtles? Has Baxter gone out and bought all the pet shop turtles in New York and dumped them down here or something?" Raphael mussed.

"You are so right! Oh thank you Raphael!" April got all exciting and hugged her turtle friend.

"What I say?" Raph was lost to the sudden popularity.

"Pet shops! That's where we should go Irma, let's go see if any of the pet shops have had someone buying up all their turtles. If that's the case, then, this sudden apreance of turtles around New York could be just a set up!"

"But who are they setting up?" Irma asked. All eyes turned to the two turtles within their group.

"Okay, guys, we have got to go. We'll catch up with you later!" April grabbed Irma and they ran up towards a tunnel which would lead them to April's van.

"You know, why didn't I come up with that idea?" Donnie said, fiddling with his tracker.

"What about the fact that all these turtles are just recently baught from the local pet store? I mean we haven't found a turtle yet that's not in a cage. Remember, Splinter next found us in a cage."

"I mean really think about it, it could be so possible, that in fact we're now getting closer to what Stockman is really up to! I think we need to take these back to the lair and then get in contact with the others and tell them our latest thoughts," Don said to his brother.


	4. chapter 4

S.O.S

Save Our Species

Part 4

_Disclaimer: No I do not own the rights to the ninja turtles, Master Splinter, April, Irma and other related characters. Also – please note – this is based on the 80's cartoon back when Baxter Stockman was a fly and the Shredder did not even look Japanese. _

"I'm not sure if this is such a great idea guys?" Donnie said, as he traipsed through the sewers with his younger brothers.

"Dude, no one would ever know," Mikey smiled back. He was pleased that he could rely on Raph and Don to come along side him with his great idea.

"You know Leo will flip when he finds out," Donnie said.

"Sure Leo and Splinter will have kittens, but seriously I recon this idea of Mikey's is goner work. I mean none of the humans will ever suspect we are real mutant turtles. They will just think we are someone in a turtle suit. Besides, it gives us a chance to see what Stockman is really up to down in Central Park," Raphael said.

"Okay, but the minute anyone suspects anything suspicious – we use our turtlecoms and get the shell out of there," Donetello told his brothers.

"Why is it, that where-ever Leo's not around – he like takes charge?" Mikey asked Raph.

"Cos he thinks he's older than us," Raph replied.

"I'm the scientist, that's why."

"So are turtles your favourite animal?" a chick with mousey brown hair asked Raphael, as she handed him a plague.

"Guess you could say that," He replied.

"I like your suit by the way, where'd you get it?" She asked, smiling at the red masked turtle.

"Um… my Ma made it for me. She's real good at making things," He replied.

"Are you with those two, their outfits looking the same as yours?"

"Yeah, our Ma made one for my brothers too," He replied, as Mikey came over.

"Chatting up the ladies already hey Raph?" Mikey giggled, as his brother gave him a death stair. Mikey ran off, before Raph could grab him.

"That your brother?" The girl said.

"Yeah, Mikey – he's a pain in the butt," Raph said.

"Hands up who loves turtles!" A dude with a megaphone called out to the crowd – everyone cheered.

"People of New York have spoken turtles rock!"

The people cheered again.

"Can we go now?" Raphael whispered to his brothers.

"Why?" Don asked.

"Cos I'm sick of that chick throwing herself at me," Raph mumbled.

"You're complaining that a chick is throwing herself at you?" Mikey looked surprised.

"Mikey, she thinks I'm some dude in a turtle costume, not a real one!"

"He's got a point," Don nodded.

"If you don't want her, I'll go work my Mikey charm on her."

"Don't you dare?" His brothers replied.

"Look I think we should head home, Leo and Master Splinter will be wondering where we got to, come on."

"Now that we've found love, what we are going to do with it," Mikey sang and danced his way into the lair.

"Give it a rest Mikey," Raph and Don both said, as they walked in.

"Now we found Leo, what we are going to do with him," Mikey gave his cheekiest grin at his older brother.

"Yeah, nice Mikey, offcourse I'm here, I live here."

"Oh bummer, we forgot, didn't we Donnie," Raph smirked.

"Hey Leo, you been taking good care of Shelly and all her little friends now haven't you?" Mikey asked his brother.

"Shelly's your turtle, you take care of her," Leo said, "I take it you guys haven't found anymore turtles in the sewers?"

"Huh?" Raph asked.  
"I take that's what you three have been doing?" Leo inquired.

"Yeah we checked out the usual places, but nothing this morning. I think Stockman's run out of pet turtles for now," Don said.

"Hey Shelley, Shelley Shelley, want a chippie?" Mikey waved a chip in front of the small turtle.

"Mikey it ever occurred to you that she may not eat chips?" Leo said to his brother. He had been watching Mikey trying to feed junk food to that turtle all morning.

"Leo, I think I know what turtles eat, bro, simply because I am one awesome one at that ain't that right Shelley?"

"Mike you eat anything, so that's not really a reliable source of information," Donnie came over with what he had bought from the pet store.

"What on earth is that muck?" Mikey screwed his face up at the jar of green slimy mush.

"Mikey, this is what pet shop turtles eat. You ate this once, you know," Donnie got the eyedropper and offered some to Shelley.

"Oh no you don't! Shelley's my turtle, she don't eat slim," Mikey grabbed the turtle and ran off with her to his room.

"I bet you anything that slim is probably her main menu," Donnie said to Leo.

"Arc!" Raph came into the room, holding up a bloodied finger, "Why would anyone want a pet turtle?" He shoved his finger in his brother's faces.

"I know, why anyone would want you for a pet," Leo smirked at his brother.

"It bite me Leo!" Raph told his brothers.

"We can see that," Don replied.

"Raph, you've been battling with the Shredder and at least half of the foot clan, you're telling me that being bitten by a little turtle is actually like being punched in the face?"

"Oh give it a rest Leo!" Raph walked off to the kitchen where he knew the first aid kit was.

"Maybe Raph is a good menu idea," Donnie joked to Leo. Suddenly Don's eyes widened.

"What's wrong with you? You're going pale Don!"

Donnie looked at the jar in his hands, he looked like he was about to be sick.

"You ever wondered what they put in this stuff?"

"No, why should I care, I don't eat it."

"Leo, they put turtle eggs that don't hatch into this stuff. That's like cannibalism, but turtle style," Donnie informed his brother.

"Don't be silly Don. Raph probably yelled at the turtle, so it bite him. Remember rats have bitten him too when he's seen them and told them to get out of his way," Leo told Don.

"But Leo, if we were feed this stuff when we were in the pet shop…."

"Donnie, we're not cannibals! Yeah Raph and Mike use to bite each other when they were kids, but I don't think it's because they were feed that stuff!"


End file.
